Professor Nachman Ash, Director General of the Ministry of Health, visited ADI Jerusalem together with Ministry members Dr. Hagar Mizrachi, head of the Ministry’s Medical Division, Professor Yaron Sachar, head of the Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department and other Ministry physicians. Led by ADI Jerusalem CEO Shlomit Grayevsky, Executive Committee Chairman Arhe’le Weingarten and Dr. Leon Josef, director of the center’s newly opened Respiratory Wing, the group toured the center’s various departments, including the hydrotherapy center, the high dependency wing and the special education school.
The center’s wide-ranging activity and in particular the overall atmosphere of optimism and positivity made a huge impression on the ministry officials. Professor Ash commented, “I am so happy I came here. Until you actually see the happiness permeating the therapy rooms, you cannot understand. What people do here is outstanding, Very meritorious.”
Professor Ash expressed a deep interest and willingness to assist in all details concerning the center’s request for official recognition of the Respiratory Wing as a Rehabilitative Respiratory Wing, a definition which would entitle patients to a wider range of treatments to help maximize their abilities.
Toward the end of the visit, Dr. Hagar Mizrachi chose to acknowledge the ADI Jerusalem staff. “Thank you for all of your work and dedication. It is very moving. Children residing in other places would have given up already and would not have been able to maximize their abilities.”
Shlomit Grayevsky noted that the group’s tour of the center was very inspiring and alluded to the significance of the visit. “It was important for us to show how children and young people are integrated into classrooms and social activities, regardless of their medical condition, together with their families and many volunteers. An additional goal was to advance recognition of the right of respiratory patients to functional rehabilitation. It is our goal to also be active in the area of respiratory rehabilitation, enabling our patients to reach their potential in many areas of activity despite their respiratory conditions.”
Emphasizing the uniqueness of the center, Grayevsky added that, “We view the person being cared for and their family as one unit. Everyone receives full responsivity. There are no visiting hours in this building. There is full access at all times to every member of the staff. We operate and strive to give the best and most professional care to all in need. We are attentive to and see their needs and we seek to contribute, to develop new areas and to be present in areas not occupied by many others. We found an attentive ear and much willingness and desire to move forward with us.”
